In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 61, 12 July 1915, Page 5

In the West

IN A TJCHT FIX.

SUPERIOR ENEMY FORCES. United Pkess Association. (Received 8.2 a.m.) Loudon, July 11. Sir John French, in his despatch, in referring to the attack upon the sth Army Corps at Frezenberg, states: A vastly superior German artillery fire with unlimited ammunition made it impossible to construct efficient trendies or to properly organise our line. After some' gas attacks, the German bombardment finally concentrated > during the morning of May 8 upon the line north and south of Frezenburg. The German fire completely obliterated the trenches and caused enormous losses. And a heavy infantry attack following caused our line to give way. General Plumer narrates that during the morning of the the right of one Brigade was, byokoVi, then tiie centre, and then part of the nc\t Ljigade. Princess Patricia’s Canadians, however, stuck to their trenches throughout the day. By midday the centre of another Brigade was broken, but the first Suffolks, by forming brigades on the right, held on, although they were apparently surrounded and overwhelmed. We launched a counter-attack at 3.30, which reached Frezenberg, but were driven back General Plumer concludes: Despite the severe shelling and many casualties, the spirit of all ranks is excellent, Tlie enemy’s losses, particularly ol the Tenth and Thirteenth Coyps, were nnuestionably spri o us./ Sir John French continues: Dtsolutory fighting went on to May 24, when I there was a Violent outburst of gas on nearly the whole front and a most determined attack east of Yyres. A large nroportion of the men were asleep and the attack was too sudden to give time to put on respirators. The Second RoVal Irish and the Ninth Argylls were overcome by gas and driven out of the 1 farm in front of our line, which the enemy fortified. All attempts to retake it failed, and we took up a position slightly tc the rear of our old hues.

VALUE OF AERIAL WARFARE.

ARRIVAL OF NEW DIVISION.

“HOW ARE THINGS GOING?”

(Received 8.40 a.m.)

Sir John French’s despatch continues: The Flying .Corps is becoming

| a more indispensable factor in combined operations. The officers have (shown marked ingenuity in devising improvements in their tactics. Since the last despatch, there /has been a considerable increase in the number and activity of German aeroplanes. There have been sixty aerial combats in which not one British aeroplane was lost. Most of the encounters have been over the German lines, but we know that six German aeroplanes were wrecked. Many others were chased down and forced to land. Some divisions of the New Army have reached France and ought, to prove a valuable addition to any lighting force. They appear to he thoroughly well officered and commanded. is in. good order and shooting is efficient. Their artillery i,; extremely good and quite fit to take their place in the line. The pioneer Battalions created a very favourable impression. The officers are keen and ingenious, and the men are of good physique and good diggers. Experience has shown that Territorials have now reached a standard of efficiency, enabling them to be usefully employed to complete divisional units, fn whatever kind of work they undertake, the units have borne an active and distinguished part, and have proved themselves to, be thoroughly reliable and efficient.

General Joffre on May 27 inspected the seventh divisional troops, and expressed his appreciation ol their appearance at parade. Despite constant strain owing to the arduous nature of the fighting, the spirit' animating all ranks remains high.and confident. The men meet every demand with the utmost cheerfulness. This spirit is particularly manifest‘among the men in the hospital. Even those mortally wounded, the invariable question which comes to lips hardly able to utter a sound is “How are things going at the Front.?’ Sir John French pays a tribute to Sir Douglas Haig’s valuable services at Festubert and to General Plnmer’s fine defence at Ypres.